Manchester City have one final game to play before the final international break of 2024 gets underway.
After losing three games on the bounce for the first time since 2018, City will be looking to put that losing streak to an end as they take on Brighton & Hove Albion away from home on Saturday.
Having been slapped with a 4-1 defeat to Ruben Amorim’s Sporting CP side in the Champions League on Tuesday night, Bernardo Silva said City are in a “dark place” at the moment.
Given their poor run of form, a win at Brighton will be what everyone connected to City will have in their minds ahead of the November international break.
Ahead of this game, the Seagulls manager has shared an update that could make City’s job to pick up all three points that little bit harder.
Brighton duo could return from injury against Man City
When asked in his recent press conference if any of Brighton’s injured players could make a return to action against City on Saturday, Fabian Hurzeler said that Joao Pedro and Matt O’Riley have a “big chance” of featuring against the Blues.
Paul Merson backed City to get back on track against Brighton
After scoring a goal each against Manchester United and Arsenal, Pedro has not featured in a Premier League match for Brighton since their 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest back in September, missing their five previous league outings.
As for O’Riley, he only played nine minutes of action in his Brighton debut against Crawley Town back in August before being forced off the pitch with a serious ankle injury.
Despite seeing Pep Guardiola’s side lose their last three matches, Paul Merson predicted a 2-1 City win against Brighton, saying this on the matter.
He said: “It’s easy to go against Manchester City in this game and I’m tempted to do it. But I’m still going to back them to bounce back with a win over Brighton.
“I’m only predicting this result because they are City and I just can’t contemplate them losing four games in a row.
“City are not just used to losing so many games and I still think they are the team to beat. Whoever finishes above City will win the league in my opinion.”
Despite that, and regardless of which players both sides have available or not, this is a tough and important match for City that they will be desperate to win and hopefully see them put their poor run of form behind them.
